Bed comforter



H. C. WHITMAN BED COMFORTER Jan. 27, 1942.

Filed March 20, 1940 vv c?" Patented Jan. 27, '1942 nnn-oolvmoarna yHarold C; Whitman, Bedford Village, Y.; as' l .A sig-nor, by mesne assignments,'to The Eamon-d Mills, Inc., Esinond, It. I., a Vcorporation Rhode Island f Application March 2e, icio, serial No. 325,005

(ci. 5 334) o 6 Claims.

My invention relatesto improvements in bed comforters.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel type of bed comforter which will eliminate the necessity for stufng or filling material in the comforter.

It has been shown in Patent No.2,012,184, issued August 20, 1935, to Boughton Cobb and assigned to applicants assignee, that pile fibers trapping air cells materiallyincrease the warmth of ordinary blankets. I" have observed that something of the same general nature occurs in the filling material of comforters and have realized that if a long nap be raised from the reversev of a blanket which is suitably covered with a light closely woven coveringk so as to trap air pockets between the long napped fibers thereof that the action is somewhat-,analogous tolthe action of the lling material in comforters and that such -a lower layer can be substituted forv both the light lower layer and lling material of a comforter. I have also discovered rthat by the employment of a long nap and a closely woven upper layer covering the long nap, that due to the air pockklbeing apparent that it ispractically kimpossible ets or air spaces between the fibers of the long nap that these trapping air pockets will providebetter insulation than the.' compact stuffing or filling materials of former types of comforters.

This is particularly true ifthe upper layer be attached to the lower nappedv layer in agmanner to atten and bend down the upper ends of the upwardly extending pile fibers into a layer of pile fiber ends also supplementally trapping a layer f of air cells spaced from said llower layer. Looking at the invention in a different manner, I have discovered thatlaying a fine cloth, preferably a closely woven upper layer, over-the upper surface of such longl raised fibers will improve thel insulation of the long napby helping to sealV the air spaces in the long nap. I have found by experiment that such'longbers do not vstand the wear of rubbing against other blankets on the bed and hence are impractical in use. I have found, however, that the addition of the closely woven up-v per layer covering the longv nap,xwil1 protectthese long napped fibers from wear so that they may stand up in use.

A further feature of my invention is that this covering cloth tends to keep dust out of the a-ir pockets and cells in the long nap and provides a smooth ornamental upper surface like a comforter.

Further objects of my invention are to provide in a comforter, whether the invention be viewed from the point of View of an improved comforter or blanket, or improved blanket or comforter insulation, the additionaly warmth ofy a lower layer having; anapped face, preferably one constructed with a pelage structure. of the general type shown in Patent-No. 2,012,184 aforesaid.

A further object of my invention is to providev a comforter, which due to the rough lower surface of the blanket lowerlayer will not slide off the sleeper. y f

A further feature of -my invention is to provide a comforter structure which can-be readily washedror otherwise cleaned; more readily than any previous type of a comforter employing a hidden stuffing andone which, with proper care,

will at all times besanitary.

4A further object vof my linvention is to provide a comforter which will complyewith the statutes of many States, which* now prohibit hidden ,stufling and onel which also providesv more warmth than the -formergty'pes-of comforters.

A further )object ofv my invention is to'v provide a replaceable covering or upper layer ini which the covering cloth. may` be renewedwhen worn,-it

to repair presentr typesof stued'comfortersg' A further object of my invention is to provide. vif desired, a comforterof still greater warmth having a face or lower surface constructed of a pelage type of structure of the type shown in saidCobb patent, .thereby providing additional warmth to the` comforter, it being obvious vthat the successiveI layers of pile fibers, whether tucked in, or otherwise', on the face or lower sur- 3face of` this typeuofconstruction`terid to form rbetween thema layeror superimposed layers of heatginsulating air cells superimposed' on said face'or lower surface. A' v y n Y `A further-object of my inventionxis to provide .a comforter which is more durable than former "types of comforters.y l

These and such other objects `of my invention as may hereinafterappearwill be rbest understood from a description "of the accompanying drawing, 'o which illustrates an embodiment thereof.

In the drawing,

' Fig. lis a plan view of ai comforter having*` a fine cloth unnapped upper layer and a lower blanket layer constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sideelevation thereof.

Fig. iris an enlarged sectional View of apiece of fabric illustrating, the type of'Weave-*Iprefeh ably employ in the lower layer prior to being napped.

Fig. is an enlarged sectional view of the fabric portion shown in Fig. 4 after pile fibers of varying lengths have been struck up from the lower face thereof and long pile fibers of greater substantial length have been raised from the upper reverse thereof, preferably by a succession of breaker nappers.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the fabric shown in Figs. 4 and 5 after at least the ends of the relative long pile fibers of varying lengths have been tucked into the face by the action of the finisher nappers and showing the upper comforter layer about to be attached thereto.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view of the fabric shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and said lower fabric layer and upper layer shown in Fig. 6 after the upper layer has been superimposed on the lower layer to fiatten and bend down the upper ends of said upwardly extending long pile fibers into a layer of pile fiber ends spaced from said lower layer and with the upper layer suitably fastened to the lower layer at the edges thereof and at intervals throughout the area of said layers to form the comforter.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, I0 generally indicates a comforter constructed in accordance with my invention. Said comforter includes a covering comprising a thin preferably closely woven upper layer I2 and a heavier lower blanket layer I4 suitably secured to said upper layer. I will refer to the lower surface of said lower layer I4 as the face thereof, and the upper surface of said lower layer as the reverse thereof. Means such as stitches I6 are preferably employed to bind the outer edges of said upper and lower layers together and means such as the stitches 20 binding said layers I2 and I4 together at intervals throughout the area of said comforter may also be provided, with the raised upwardly extending long pile threads I8 forming a multiplicity of air insulating pockets, or spaces I1 between said upper and lower layers. Either said stitches I6 binding the edges of said layers together or said stitches 20 preferably bind said upper and lower layers I2 and I4 together so tightly as, in the manner shown, to flatten and bend down the upper ends I9 of said upwardly extending pile fibers I8 into a layer 2| of pile fiber ends I9 spaced from said lower blanket layer I4 entraining a supplemental layer of ai;` cells 23 in said layer 2l.

In the usual construction of comforters in place of the long fibers I8, filling material such as feathers, kapok, or other iiocculent material has been interposed between the respective upper and lower layers of the comforter. The disadvantage of these filling materials has been, as previously stated, that they are prohibited by statute in certainStates, that they are often bound together so tightly as not to have any air insulating spaces, that they accumulate dust and that they can not readily be washed or otherwise cleaned. Employing my invention, however, I dispense entirely with any type of stuffing or filling material and in its place provide a heavier napped reverse for said lower blanket layer I4 having the long pile fibers I8 raised therefrom of substantial length. The lower surface or face of the blanket layer I4 may be suitably napped to provide the pile surface 25. Said pile surface 25 provides a surface having heat insulating pile fibers respectively entraining one or more layers of heat insulating air cells therein.

While any suitable type of napped blanket face may be provided, I preferably provide the socalled pelage construction explained in detail in said Patent No. 2,012,184 for Fabric and method of making same, issued August 20, 1935, to Boughton Cobb and assigned to applicants assignee, having the face thereof only treated in accordance with the method described therein to provide an outer layer of tucked in long fibers, such as wool extending substantially over the face or lower surface of said napped fabric and an inner layer or pelage of shorter fibers, such as cotton below said tucked in long fibers. In place of the alternate threads constructed of different fibers shown in the preferred embodiment in said pattent, it is apparent that if each individual filling thread be constructed of both long and short fibers of the same species, such as wool fibers of different length and staple or of different species, such as wool and cotton, and if the fabric be subjected to a series of successively longer breaking in napper treatments, that first the short pile threads will be raised therefrom during the initial breaker napper treatment and then longer pile fibers will be successively raised therefrom by successive breaker napper treatments. After the long and short respective pile fibers have been raised from the fabric, simultaneously or successively, the pile fabric may be treated with a nisher napper to tuck in at least the long fibers as shown in said Cobb patent.

It is apparent that I must employ a type of fabric from which the long fibers I8 of substantial length may be raised from the upper surface or reverse thereof and as these fibers are usually raised from filling threads, a suitable type of fabric having a body of filling threads on both the face and reverse thereof is preferably emlployed.

I have shown in Fig. 4 such a type of suitable fabric having a double twill effect, namely, a twill effect on both the reverse and face thereof. It is apparent that as is well known in the art, a fabric having runs of fioat threads on the face and reverse provides a better nap, and for this purpose I employ a fabric having float threads of at least the length of a simple twill fabric. While alternate filling threads may be made of long fibers, such as wool and short fibers, such as cotton, each filling thread preferably comprises both long and short fibers, whether of the same or different species and/cr staple as previously explained. The fabric shown in Fig. 4 comprises the usual warp threads 24 and the pile forming filling threads 26 fioating preferably in twill formation over both the face and reverse of the fabric, pairs of said filling threads 26 being preferably so beaten up as to be superimposed over each other as shown.

I have shown in Fig. 5 the portion of the fabric shown in Fig. 4 after the face thereof has been subjected to a succession of breaking in napping operations of increasing length, the initial breaking `in napping operations serving to raise the relatively short pile fibers 30 from the runs of floats of the pile forming filling threads 26 on the face and the longer breaking in napping operations serving to raise the long pile bers 32 also from the same runs of the same floats of the same filling threads on the face. It is apparent that a succession of breaking in napping operations may be applied to the reverse of the fabric to raise therefrom the long pile fibers I8' ofi substantial length, and incidentally the shorter pile fibers litherefrom, which, breaking in napping operations may be performed on the face and reverse ofthe fabric successively or simultaneously. It is apparent as I haveshown in Fig. that the long and short fibers 30and 32 and the long pile fibers I8y of. substantial length and shorter pile fibers I5` may be raised" from the floats of the pile forming filling threads both onthefaceand on the reverse for a substantial distance through their diameters to provide a relatively large amountA of pileformed from the relatively small, preferablyloosely woven filling threadsv 26. I have shown in Fig. 6 the fabric shown in Figs. 4 and 5 after the ends of at least they relatively long pile fibers 32' and preferably also the ends of the short pile fibers 30 have been tucked in to said filling threads 26 or adjacent pile threads as at 34 to form the layer or layersy of heat insulating air cells-36 superimposed across the face or lower surface ofthe lower layer I4. I have shown in Fig. 6 the upper layer I2 in a position above the upstanding long fibers I8 prior to beingattached to the lower layer I4 by suitable meanssuch as the stitching I 6 binding the edges of said upper and lower layersv I2 and I4. together andi/or the stitches 26 binding said upper and lower layers I2 and' I4 together at intervals through the area of said comforter. As stated, the comforter may be of such a sizey or the stitches 20 so closely located as to compress the upper layer I2 against said lower layer I4 to flatten and bend down the upper ends I9 of said upwardly extending long pile fibers I8 into a layer 2l of pile fiber ends, entraining the layer 21 of supplemental air cells 23 spaced from said lower layer I4. It is apparent that if desired, however, the upper layer l2 may be joined to the lower layer I4 so as not to provide this layer 2| of pile fiber ends I9 entraining the layer 2l of supplemental cells 23.r

In both instances, however, the raised upwardly extending long pile threads I8 extending substantially to the closely woven relatively impervlous upper layer I2 form a multiplicity of air insulating pockets or spaces I'I between them between said upper and lower layers I2 and I4. It is also obvious that if the layer 2| of pile fiber ends I9 be also formed that a supplemental layer 2l of insulating air cells 23 will also be provided therein. Both the stitching I5 joining the edges of said layers andthe stitching 26 joining said layers together at intervals throughout the area thereof may be attached in the same manner as in the manufacture of present-day comforters.

It is also obvious that the upper layer I2 is brought into close Contact with the layer 2| of bent over fiber ends I9 to aid in preventing leakage of air through said upper layer, the bent over ends I9 tending to fill in the interstices between the threads of said upper layer I2 to prevent leakage of air through said upper layer. It is apparent that the air cells 36 covering the face of the lower layer supplementally assist in preventing leakage through and providing warmth in the comforter.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a greater number and volume of insulating air pockets and air cells per unit area than is normally provided by the filling material in. a standard type of comforter and that if the socalled pelage construction be provided on the face of the lower layer, ra comforter having a still greater warmth is provided.v

' Itis also apparentlthat I' have provided: a comforter, with-a lowery rough surface, which will tendi to make the` comforter stay on and not slip offthe' bed, which is more durable, sanitary and readily cleaned, with a readily replaceable upper layer and with the other advantages yset forth above. f Y l Itisv understood that myinvention. is` not limited toI the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made` therefrom without depatring from the spirit and scope of the appended claims".

What Iclaim is:

1. A comforter comprising, a napped fabric lower layer having a heavily napped lreverse having long pile fibers raised therefrom of substantial length and shorter pile fibers raised therefrom and a napped vface havingpile vfibers raised therefrom from short pile fibers to pile fibers of substantial length, at least the relatively longer pile fibers having, their endstucked intoV said threads ory adjacent pile threads on said face to provide ja fabric having a non-slippable pile Aface having heat insulating 4layers of' pile fibers forming a multiplicity of insulating air cells superimposed thereon, a light closely woven upper layer,4 means binding the edges of said. upper and lower ylayers together to form a` comforter and means binding said upper. and lower layers together at intervals throughout the, area of said comforter, whereby the. upper endsof' said long pile fibers .extending upwardly` from said reverse are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile fiber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long and shorter pile fibers extending up- Wardly from said lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulating air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

2. A comforter, comprising, a napped fabric lower layer having a heavily napped reverse having long pile fibers raised therefrom of substantiallength and shorter pile fibers raised therefrom and a napped face having pile fibers raised therefrom from `short pile fibers to pile fibers of substantial length, at least the relatively longer pile fibers having their ends tucked into said threads or radjacent pile threads on' said face to provide a fabric having a non-slippable pile face having heat insulating layers vof pile fibers forming a multiplicity of insulating air cells superimposed thereon, a light closely woven upper layer, and means binding said upper and lower layersv together at intervals throughout the rarea of said comforter, whereby the upper ends of said long pile fibers extending upwardly from said reverse are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile fiber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long and shorter pile fibers extending upwardly from said'lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulatingr air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

3. A comforter, comprising, a napped fab-ric lower layer having a heavily napped reverse having long pile fibers raised therefrom of substantial length and a napped face providing a roughened lower surface to prevent the blanket from sliding off the bed, a light closely woven upper layer, and means binding said upper and lower layers together at intervals throughout the area of said comforter, whereby the upper ends of said long pile fibers extending upwardly from said reversev are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile fiber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long pile fibers extending upwardly from said lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulating air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

4. A comforter, comprising, a napped fabric lower layer having a heavily napped reverse having long pile bers raised therefrom of'Y substantial length and shorter pile bers raised therefrom and a napped face having pile fibers raised therefrom from short pile fibers to pile fibers of substantial length, at least the relatively longer pile fibers having their ends tucked into said threads or adjacent pile threads on said face to provide a fabric having a non-slippable pile face having heat insulating layers of pile bers forming a multiplicity of insulating air cells superimposed thereon, a light closely woven upper layer and means binding the edges of said upper and lower layers together to form a comforter, whereby the upper ends of said long pile fibers extending upwardly from said reverse are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile' fiber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long and shorter pile bers extending upwardly from said lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulating air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

5. A comforter, comprising, a napped fabric lower layer having a heavily napped reverse having long pile fibers raised therefrom of substantial length and a napped face providing a roughened lower surface to -prevent the blanket from sliding oi the bed, a light closely woven upper layer and means binding the edges of said upper and lower layers together to form a comforter, whereby the upper ends of said long pile fibers extending upwardly from said reverse are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile liber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long pile fibers extending upwardly from said lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulating air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

6. A comforter, comprising, a napped fabric lower layer having a heavily napped reverse having long pile iibers raised therefrom of substantial length and a napped face providing a roughened lower surface to prevent the blanket from sliding oi the bed, a light closely woven upper layer, means binding the edges of said upper and lower layers together to form a comforter and means binding said upper and lower layers together at intervals throughout the area of said comforter, whereby the upper ends of said long pile fibers extending upwardly from said reverse are flattened and bent down into a layer of pile fiber ends having insulating air cells therein spaced from said lower layer with the long pile bers extending upwardly from said lower layer forming a multiplicity of insulating air pockets between said upper and lower layers.

HAROLD C. WHITMAN. 

